PlayStation.Blog

VUDU Comes to the PS3, Adding Another Choice for PSN Members to Experience Media Instantly

Whew… it’s been an exciting and busy couple of weeks on the PlayStation Network. Last week we shared the news that NHL will begin streaming live games to the PlayStation 3 and that Hulu Plus is now available to all PlayStation Network members and we’re not slowing down! I’m happy to report that beginning next week, VUDU, the HD movie streaming service, will be available to all PS3 users in the United States that are registered to PSN, making it the only gaming console to offer VUDU.

With VUDU, we’re adding another layer of great entertainment content to PlayStation Network and providing another choice for PS3 users to experience cinema-quality entertainment in the comfort of their living rooms. Access to VUDU doesn’t require a subscription. Simply pay-as-you-go for the content you want.

All of you with a free PlayStation Network account can get in on the VUDU action. Simply go to the PlayStation Store and download the VUDU app for free. Once you’ve downloaded the app, you’ll see it appear in the XMB under the “Video” icon and from there, will have access to thousands of movie titles – available for instant viewing in HD and HDX 1080p formats with no buffering or downloading, and with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound. Many of the hit movies are available for rental or purchase right when they are released to DVD and Blu-ray, giving you the most instant access when you want it.

You can recommend movies for your friends to watch using its social network integrations or just peruse VUDU’s video store and discover what’s available. It’s quite simple. Check it out!

I agree with one of the previous comments. You guys have a TON of media services through the PS3. One would think that would be trouble, but I guess that just means more PS3 Sales since those users can now buy a PS3 to watch VUDU, Netflix, Hulu Plus, and then there is the Playstation Video Store for those who are fine with that.

I’m not going to lie, I think I’m good with Netflix and PSVideo Store for now. Whenever VUDU and Hulu (lol) decide to come to Canada, I’ll give them a look, but I don’t really need them right now.

Vudu: the more expensive version of PSN content. Biggest side is you can purchase movies for roughly $10 where their disc counterparts are 15-20 AND (if you have a mac) you can easily make a hard copy for yourself whereas the PSN content is a little more limited as far as formatting goes.

This seems rather, useless no? Anyone with half a brain would already be using Netflix. Anything recent not on the store could be rented from the actual video section on the PS Store. I dunno, it’s cool I guess but what’s the point like that Kotaku article stated.

PRICES SUCK! I really badly want to start spending money on the movie store, but who wants to spend 4 bucks for a 24 hour rental, or spend 20+ dollars to buy it? When you can go to blockbuster get it for seven days at the same price, or Redbox for only a dollar for the same amount of time. Then to buy it, Blu-ray is always better so why not make a quick trip to a store or order it off Amazon, hell half the time Amazon even throws in a free download so you can watch it while it ships.

Good start sony. However Thats enough on the video apps now, they are starting to get redundant. Between hulu, netflix, vudu, psn video store you pretty much have video covered now, with the exception of maybe a dedicated youtube app which would be nice. How about some other types of apps like Pandora, Last.FM. Or maybe some simple apps like weather, movie theater locater/time lookup with HD trailers you can watch, etc. Better yet let the developers due the work for you and come up with an SDK. Please be the 1st gaming console to do this and I think you’ll definately have the upperhand on the competition. People are finally starting to come around to the web apps on your TV thing as long as they are kept simple and done right I think.

Good to have an optional rent-demand service, but Vudu needs to come in at a reasonably lower rental price than PSN to be beneficial to users. I somehow see that being a conflict of interest. Hoping it turns out to be a great provider though.

I think I’ll stick with Buying Blu-ray (Best Quility) and for renting I’ll stick with Redbox for $1 (DVD) and $1.50 for (Blu-ray) per night and keep my Netfix account for in between movies and TV shows.

TIP: Now if PlayStation Store would have $1 rentals per night in DVD and Blu-ray Quility like Redbox has I’d be more willing to pay my money on the PlayStaion Store.

why does Sony continue to focus on this stuff? Where are the features we want? i have yet to see someone ask for another video content provider. A party system? yes. Make purchases from the PSN on your PC? yes. more overpriced movies? No!

You can make SD rentals for $3.99 and even the HD rentals are cheaper than if you were to go to a movie theatre. What if you have a family of 4 and want to watch a movie? You could have gone 4-6 months earlier to a theatre paying $8 ($32 overall) a person to watch a movie or you can wait a couple months and stream it in HD to your house for $6.99 and even watch it a couple times before your 24 hour window is up.

The movies usually go up on Vudu around the time of their DVD/Blu Ray release which is probably a little quicker than PSN network gets them. I imagine since Vudu is on the PS3 Sony gets a small cut from all purchases from the Vudu store.

Ok, this is fine and all, but WHERE are the core PSN enhancements? Auto syncing trophies, Voice chat, being able to read messages by pressing the PS button and not having to go to the XMB every time, etc, etc, etc….. and on and on. I mean, we have how many video services now, Sony, look at the CORE PSn service and improve it. GEEZ